


Jasmine

by suzannahbee123



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, cursing, light cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-17 01:52:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16507043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzannahbee123/pseuds/suzannahbee123
Summary: After a bad dream, Bucky just needed to get out for a while. A song plays as he looks at the Jasmines and his heart is captured.





	Jasmine

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics throughout are from On The Run Part 2 by Beyoncé and Jay Z.

Bucky woke up from another shitty dream in a really shitty mood. It was just another shitty flashback of all the shitty things he had been made to do by shitty HYDRA for seventy shitty years and he was fed the fuck up of it. Listening for a moment, he was pleased to hear no sounds of hurried footsteps coming towards his room and thank God for that, he really couldn’t be bothered to deal with Steve “mother hen” Rogers, right now.

On a sigh, Bucky swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, putting his head in his hands for a moment. “FRIDAY? Is anyone else up and about?”

“No, Sergeant Barnes. You did not wake anyone up today.”

“Thanks.” Bucky replied, dryly. “I need to get out for a bit, if anyone asks, I’m going for a walk.”

“Very good, Sergeant Barnes. Please remember a jacket this time, it is two AM and the night is quite chilly.”

“You remember I’m a Super Soldier, right?”

“You remember I don’t care, yes?”

Bucky chuckled and the first dark cloud passed in his mind at the dismissive comment in the lilting Irish accent. It was nice to know that Steve could be out “mother hen-ed”, even if it was by an AI made by Stark.

***

Now two thirty AM, and breath puffing out in front of him, Bucky was feeling less shitty and more calm as he walked through the empty paths of Central Park. It was strange but, the man he was before the war had loved Central Park in the day time. It hadn’t been as pretty then or as well taken care of (they had been in a war, after all) but it was still a swell place to take a dame for a walk, or to take a stroll through with Steve and watch him do some sketches. The bright sunlight would make all the pretty flowers shine brighter, the myriad colours glowing against the green of the trees or bushes and everything had just seemed… well, swell. Like nothing could go wrong.

The man he was now though, he actually preferred it in the dark, the silvery moonlight cast soft shadows against everything, making it all seem somehow softer and more beautiful. Like, now that the sun wasn’t around, everything could just be, the plants and flowers and trees didn’t have to put on a show for the people anymore, they could just hide and go to sleep and rest. With everything cast in colours of deep blue and soft black and shimmering silver, Bucky felt at home and calm. He didn’t even miss the bright flowers. Why should he? There were still some about.

Bucky saw the shrub that held his favourite flower and went over to it, taking deep breaths the closer he got. Night blooming Jasmine had such an intoxicating scent and the bright white flowers called to him. They were so delicate and beautiful but they _owned_ the night time, they were like beacons to someone like him. It didn’t matter that he didn’t always want to be in the sunlight all the time now, he could still thrive at night whilst he found his place again.

_Who wants that perfect love story anyway, anyway_

_Cliche, Cliche_

_Cliche, Cliche_

_Who wants that hero love that saves the day, anyway_

_Cliche, Cliche_

_Cliche, Cliche_

_What about the bad guy goes good, yeah_

_And the missing missing love that’s misunderstood, yeah_

_Black hourglass, our glass_

_Toast to cliches in a dark past_

_Toast to cliches in a dark past_

The music seemed to fit the setting so much that Bucky barely even realised he was hearing it, the lyrics of the song and the haunting voice that sung them blended so well into the night, into the mood Bucky was feeling, it was as if the music had been summoned by his own subconscious.

_Boy meets girl, girl perfect women_

_Girl get the bustin’ before the cops come running_

_Chunking deuces, chugging D’USSE_

_Fuck what you say, boys in blue say_

Bucky blinked, the male rapper’s voice powerful enough to snap him out of his head and make him realise that he was listening to someone else’s music. Curious, Bucky plucked a Jasmine from the shrubbery and began to try and find the source.

_I don’t care if you on the run_

_Baby as long as I’m next to you_

_And if loving you is a crime_

_Tell me why do I bring out_

_The best in you_

Like a moth to the flame, Bucky was drawn to this incredible sounding voice, the lyrics speaking to him even though he had absolutely no idea why. The chance of finding someone who could take his broken pieces and love him _because_ of them, rather than in spite of them, was slim to none and he had made his peace with that.

_I hear sirens while we make love_

_Loud as hell but they don’t know_

_They’re nowhere near us_

_I will hold your heart and your gun_

_I don’t care if they come, noooo_

_I know it’s crazy but_

_They can take me_

_Now that I found the places that you take me_

_Without you I got nothing lose._

Bucky sped up, cursing the fact that his hearing was so acute now, if only because it meant that the source of this song wasn’t a convenient distance from him. He had no idea why it was suddenly so important to him to find where this music was coming from and who was listening to it. It just was.

Bucky’s heart started to pound when the music seemed to cut out, he _had_ to find the person listening to it! He had to know why they were out in the middle of this huge park at three AM listening to such a piece of music. Bucky slowed, about to give up when he heard it start up again, this time much closer.

_Deeper than words, beyond right_

_Die for your love, beyond life_

_Sweet as a Jesus piece, beyond ice_

_Blind me baby with your neon lights_

_Ray Bans on, police in sight_

_Oh, what a beautiful death_

_Let’s both wear white_

_If you go to heaven and they bring me to hell_

_Just sneak out and meet me, bring me a box of L’s_

_She fell in love with the bad guy, the bad guy_

_What you doing with them rap guys, them rap guys_

_They ain’t see potential in me girl, but you see it_

_If it’s you and me against the world, then so be it_

Bucky ran through the trees and, finally, that’s when he saw what was playing the music that spoke to him so deeply. A woman, tall, skin the colour of his favourite caramel infused coffee with thick dark hair streaming down her back and flowing behind her in the wind as she danced, Bucky was captivated immediately.

_I don’t care if they give me life_

_I get all my life from you_

_And if loving you had a price_

_I would pay my life for you_

_I don’t care I will never give it up_

_Give it up, give it up, give it all away_

_No I swear, no I swear_

_Without you I got nothing to lose_

The song ended and Bucky took a deep breath, trying not to feel like that song had been written by people luckier than him and he was never intended to be the person to listen to it. Love like that? The door to that type of love was forever closed to him.

This stranger was beautiful. Bucky felt like an ass but he stayed in the dark for just a minute more, just to look. She was beauty and grace as she moved. Poise and elegance. This stranger was like his Jasmine flowers, she shone in the dark and made everything around her more beautiful because of it and-

“I swear, if you don’t stop creeping and get your ass out here in three seconds, I will fry you to dust, boy.”

Bucky choked on air in surprise and stumbled out into the clearing. “I’m sorry, I uh- I didn’t mean to… creep?” Bucky cringed when he heard the question he had put into his response. “I mean, I _wasn’t_ creeping! I heard the song and- and-”

“Bucky, come on. You were hiding in the shadows, like a creeper, and you were breathin’ heavy too. Ergo, you a creep.” The stranger smiled shyly and her deep brown eyes lit up at him. Bucky was mesmerised. At least until he realised that she knew his name.

“Wait- uh, how-”

“Did I know your name?” She finished for him and Bucky nodded, not even caring that she had interrupted him. Her voice was beautiful too, she could talk for as long as she liked. “I’m Megan? I uh… I moved to the Tower a few weeks ago. You must’ve had the briefing about me?”

Again, Bucky blinked, like a dolt. “ _You’re_ the mutant with incredibly destructive powers that they want Wanda to train?” There was a pause whilst Megan placed her hands on her hips and stared him down. Bucky didn’t stare at those hips, or those legs… or the lovely chest. Nope. He was a gentleman. “Uh. You… you don’t look like a world destroyer. No offence.”

“None taken.” Megan replied, slowly. Like she was trying to figure him out. “Doesn’t change the fact that I am. I can do all sorts of bad things and, well, I’m sorry that I didn’t come and say hi to y’all sooner but… well, I don’t want to hurt anyone. What I can do is scary.”

“You don’t look scary. At all.” Bucky blurted, before he could stop himself.

“Oh okay.” Megan shrugged and looked at the tree to Bucky’s left. A second later, the tree was gone, all that remained was ash that smelled like pine. “I guess erasing things from existence isn’t that scary at all. My bad.”

“Ah.” Bucky stared at the empty spot for a minute longer. “You know… you really should’a gotten a permit for that. This place is pretty important and the trees are kind of a big deal around here, what with providing oxygen and all.”

Megan giggle snorted and Bucky felt a smile tug at his lips at the endearingly ridiculous sound. Then, he jumped when the tree appeared again and the small smile became full blown. “Ha! I knew it!”

“So you _did_ read my file. Not just a pretty face then, huh?”

Bucky ran his hand over the trunk of the tree for a second, replying absentmindedly, “You’re one to talk.” Bucky then turned to her, “So, the power to destroy and the power to give back? Why are you hiding again?”

“Excuse me? You know, you only just met me and you’re already on my bad side, maybe you should go back to hiding in the shadows.”

Bucky ignored the acid in Megan’s tone and walked closer to her. “As someone who routinely hides from the rest of the world, take it from me, it is only worth holding onto guilt about things you have _actually_ done. You’re just trying to figure out what you can and can’t do and there’s no shame in that.”

“I know that!” Megan spat, before throwing her head back and growling at the sky. “I just hate being around people that don’t know what I can do and then seeing their faces when I show them, they look at me like I’m a monster! Then, when I show them the other side? The giving back? Then I see their eyes go calculating, like what else could I bring back? And then they start thinking of the benefits of knowing someone who can take out life and leave no trace. It’s terrifying seeing people like that.”

Bucky knew exactly what she was talking about and decided to share something. He hadn’t even told Steve this but, if it made Megan feel less alone, he would tell her.

“So, I went on a date with this chick once, right?” He began abruptly, “Steve set me up with her, absolutely _not_ my type but, you know, he’s my friend and what else could I say? Anyway, we’re eating dinner, well, I am and she’s picking at her salad like it’s got ants in it or something, and she casually asks me if I would kill people for her if they upset her. Like, this is a first date!” Bucky exclaimed, pleased to see Megan was looking livid on his behalf.

“So, I turned to her and looked her dead in the eye and said “I don’t kill people. I don’t hurt them. I don’t do that anymore and if that’s what brought you on this date? You can leave, trust me I won’t care.” And you know what she did then?” Bucky finished.

“Let me guess, threw a tantrum and walked?” Megan asked through her teeth, clearly trying to remain polite.

“Well, she threw her sparkling water in my face first.” Bucky chuckled. “Listen, I know we literally just met and you don’t actually have any reason to trust me, aside from that I’m an Avenger, but you don’t need to be scared of yourself around me, okay? You’ve been given something scary, that you didn’t ask for and it can sometimes feel like it’s out of your control. I understand that, probably better than you realise.”

Megan nodded, “I guess. I’m sorry for calling you a creeper.”

“Don’t be. I was creeping.” Bucky laughed. “Hey, what was that song? It was so gorgeous and-”

“You don’t know Beyonce and Jay Z?! Where the hell have you been?!”

“Hey, I have a lot of stuff to catch up on, okay?”

Megan considered him for a moment, before shrugging again, “I can help you, if you like. Maybe you can help me too. Maybe.”

“Sounds great, doll.” Bucky smirked when he saw Megan’s eyes duck and heard the girlish giggle she emitted at his endearment. “You know what else sounds great to me?”

“What’s that?”

“If you’n me, came back here one night… maybe had a picnic or somethin’? I know this spot by the Jasmine and it’s real pretty and-”

“Are you asking me out on a date, Bucky?” Surprise was clear on her face. “Why’re you doin’ that? You don’t have to.”

“I want to, that’s why. Look,” Bucky ran his hand through his hair in frustration, “I was havin’ a shitty night and I came here to get away from people and then I heard this song… then I saw you and, well, now my night isn’t so shitty and you’re just a real pretty dame that I want to take out for a picnic. Is that somethin’ you would do with me, doll?”

“I was having a shitty night, too. That’s why I came out here, I needed to feel like I could go where people go and still not endanger them. Then you came creeping and… Yeah, I want to go on this date with you.”

Bucky’s heart soared and his smile grew wide enough to crack his face in two. “Yes! Okay, so, I’ll set it all up and I can give you a call? Oh! Maybe I can take you to a movie as well? Hell, there could even be one we could watch at the Tower together.” Bucky mused to himself. “Or, you could show me more of this music, that song was… it was really beautiful.”

“I think so, too.” Megan replied, softly. “That’s what I want someday… just someone to stick with me through everything. To not ask more from me than I want to give.”

“Me too.” Bucky stared at Megan and she stared right back. Neither said anything else, not wanting to break the spell. Megan shivering slightly did that though and Bucky silently thanked FRIDAY for making him take a jacket as he placed it over Megan’s shoulders. “There, not so cold, huh?”

“I been looking for a jacket like this.” Megan held onto the leather tighter and grinned wickedly, “You ain’t getting this back.”

“Looks better on you anyway.” Bucky then took the Jasmine bloom from before and placed it in her hair. “Come on, let’s get back and get something to eat, I am starving.”

Megan laughed as they walked together and Bucky smiled as he passed his Jasmine plant. They didn’t capture his eye so much anymore. He had a real life Jasmine flower walking right next to him, beautiful and strong and blooming in the dark.


End file.
